Zoho Backstage January 2026 Updates: Lead Controls, Ticket Group Links & QR Enhancements

Zoho Backstage January 2026 Updates: Lead Controls, Ticket Group Links & QR Enhancements

Welcome to 2026! If you thought last year was big, buckle up. We’re stepping into this year with a singular focus: unimaginable growth, elite scalability, and performance benchmarks that leave the old ways of event management in the rearview mirror.
 
As we entered 2026, we found ourselves asking familiar questions. Should we...
  1. Focus on building brand-new features?
  2. Refine what already exists?
  3. Double down on performance and scalability?
  4. Or quietly fix the things that slow you down?
The truth is, it isn’t a single choice.
 
Running events today demands all of it—powerful features, thoughtful enhancements, rock-solid performance, and the kind of reliability you only notice when everything just works. So instead of choosing one direction, we chose to move forward on all of them.
 
At Zoho Backstage, we refuse to let "good enough" be the status quo. We know you need a platform that evolves as fast as your vision does. January’s updates reflect that balance. And this is only the beginning of what 2026 has in store.

Lead Profile Settings  

Expos generate valuable conversations—now you have more control over the data that supports them.
 
With Lead Profile Settings, event organizers can decide exactly what information exhibitor teams see when they scan attendee badges. This means exhibitors get only the details that matter while you stay in control of data visibility and privacy.
 
You can configure Lead Profile Settings from Exhibitors > Exhibitor Settings > Lead Profile.


 
Organizers can choose:
  1. Relevant basic fields such as phone number, company, or designation.
  2. Selected custom registration fields.
Default fields like first name, last name, and email are always included and can't be removed.
 
Once configured, these settings apply across all exhibitors for the event. When exhibitors scan a badge, they’ll see only the fields you’ve enabled—directly in the mobile app under Lead Scan > Lead Profile.
 
To ensure consistency and privacy:
  1. Hidden registration fields can’t be added to lead profiles.
  2. Any field removed from the registration form is automatically removed from the lead profile as well.
This is especially useful for events like education fairs, job expos, and industry exhibitions, where custom registration data plays a key role.
Info
Plan availability: Included in the EssentialsPremium, and Ultimate plans.

Ticket group links and IDs

Sharing the right tickets just got easier.

You can now copy the Ticket Group ID or Ticket Group URL directly from the ticket group options.
  1. The Ticket Group URL takes registrants straight to a specific ticket group on the Select Tickets page—perfect for targeted sharing.
  2. The Ticket Group ID can be used with the embeddable widget to display tickets from a specific group. Support for this ID will also be extended to APIs once Ticket Group APIs are available.


Whether you’re embedding tickets on an external website or guiding attendees to a focused set of options, ticket group sharing is now simpler and more precise.
Info
Plan availability: Included in the FreeEssentialsPremium, and Ultimate plans.

QR code support extended to more email types   

Check-ins and access should feel effortless—for everyone involved.
 
We’ve expanded QR code support across more automated and scheduled emails, making event entry and session access smoother for every role.
 
In addition to the existing QR code widget in Send Registration Details, Welcome Assignee, and scheduled attendee emails, QR codes can now be added to emails sent to speakers, sponsors, exhibitors, and RSVP guests.
 
QR codes can also be added to emails sent to speakers, sponsors, exhibitors, and RSVP guests.
 
Newly supported automated emails include:  
  1. Welcome Speaker and Session Updated emails for speakers



  2. Inform an early sponsor that the website is live and Welcome and thank a sponsor who contributes after the website is live emails for sponsors
  3. Exhibitor Request Approved and Invite Booth Member emails for exhibitors
QR code support has also been extended to scheduled emails sent to speakers, sponsors, exhibitors, and RSVP guests attending the event.
InfoPlan availability: Included in the FreeEssentialsPremium, and Ultimate plans for automated emails. Included in the EssentialsPremium, and Ultimate plans for scheduled emails.

The road ahead: 2026 & beyond  

This January release is just the first spark. This year, Backstage is undergoing a massive transformation in capabilities and performance. We're engineering the platform to handle more data, more users, and more complexity than ever before without breaking a sweat.

We aren't just a tool; we’re your partner in scaling your impact. Let’s make 2026 the year your events become legendary.

Info
All the features and enhancements mentioned in this article are available across all Zoho Backstage-supported data centers.
If you have any questions or need access to early access features, please contact support@zohobackstage.com

      • Recent Topics

      • Thunderbird not retrieving Mail automatically

        Hi, I have set up Zoho in Thunderbird all fine, the only problem is that the mails are not coming to Thunderbird automatically, they only come when I initially start up Thunderbird,  any ideas for a fix on this cheers
      • Free Webinar Alert! Don’t take the bait: Everyday email safety in Zoho Mail

        Hello Zoho Community! Think you can spot a suspicious email before it catches you off guard? Join our upcoming webinar, “Don’t take the bait: Everyday email safety in Zoho Mail,” and learn how to recognize common email threats and build safer habits for
      • Do you know which 20% of your products generate 80% of your revenue?

        Not all products earn their place in your inventory. In almost every catalog, a small group of items drives most of the revenue, while a long tail quietly ties up storage, counting effort, and working capital. The trouble is, most teams treat every SKU
      • How can we allocate incoming PO stock to Sales Orders, and does Backorder automatically reserve it upon receipt?

        Hello Everyone, We want to allocate incoming Purchase Order quantities to specific Sales Orders before the stock arrives. For example, from an existing PO of 100 pieces: 40 pieces assigned to SO-A. 35 pieces assigned to SO-B. 25 pieces left unallocated.
      • Convert an Existing Single Item into an Item with Variants

        Hello Zoho Team, Introducing variants is a great addition to Zoho Inventory. However, we would like to request an option to convert an existing single item into an item with variants. For example, Item A initially comes in only one colour, so we create
      • inventory removal at packing list or shipment.

        currently our system is set to remove inventory at invoice. This is creating an inventory nightmare? Is it possible to change the settings to remove the item from inventory at either the packing slip stage or shipping the item.
      • Delug script

        I have been looking at auto-update a amount (home currency) field from another module. Zoho native multicurrency was used in the other module (we have 4 here). Custom script was input with no error, but the field was not updated on trigger. Script as
      • Zoho Desk API modifiedTimeRange returns HTTP 500 around 2026-03-08T02:00:00.000Z

        Hello Zoho Support Team, We are experiencing a reproducible HTTP 500 Internal Server Error when querying the Zoho Desk API search endpoint with a specific modifiedTimeRange boundary. ### API Endpoint GET /api/v1/tickets/search ### Reproduction Steps &
      • GEO and Zoho Desk

        Has anyone done anything with GEO (generative engine optimization) and zoho desk KB? Are there any plans from Zoho on adding the ability in inject GEO scripts in KB Articles?
      • How to add custom lookup-type field to meeting module form in Zoho CRM

        We need to have a lookup field to a custom module's record in Zoho CRM. But it appears that look-up fields are not enabled in Meetings/Events module in Zoho CRM. How do I design/implement a custom look-up type field that will lookup records from custom
      • AI-Powered Automation for Repetitive Tasks

        Incorporating AI into Zoho People can streamline and automate repetitive administrative tasks, boosting productivity and efficiency. Automate Data Entry: Use AI to auto-capture and input data from emails and forms, reducing errors. Schedule Management:
      • Rotate an Image in Workdrive Image Editor

        I don't know if I'm just missing something, but my team needs a way to rotate images in Workdrive and save them at that new orientation. For example one of our ground crew members will take photos of job sites vertically (9:16) on his phone and upload
      • [IDEA] Bring Layout - Conditional Rules and Client Scripts to Zoho Books

        The problem We run Zoho Books with two e-invoicing integrations: myData (Greek tax authority, AADE) and PEPPOL (EU e-invoicing). Between the two, our Invoice form carries a large number of custom fields — document type codes, VAT exemption categories,
      • Last four Digit field in Zoho Payment Received

        One of our client's payment received doc has Notes, Last four digit and Transaction ID fields set, I couldn't find api parameter for these fields in the documentation... when I checked the site, it's not custom fields as well. where do i find it, any
      • Automatically remove commas

        Team, Please be consistent in Zoho Books. In Payments, you have commas here: But when we copy and paste the amount in the Payments Made field, it does not accept it because the default setting is no commas. Please have Zoho Books remove commas autom
      • Show my cost or profit while creating estimate

        Hi, While creating estimate it becomes very important to know exact profit or purchased price of the products at one side just for our reference so we can decide whether we can offer better disc or not .
      • Cash Flow Forecast Dashboard in Zoho Reports

        I am exploring the capabilities of Zoho Reports and created a simplified Cash Flow Dashboard - http://db.zoho.com/ZDBDataSheetView.cc?DBID=97137000000016024 This is just a sample of the useful financial information for small businesses that can be created with this powerful business intelligence tool from Zoho.
      • Admin Logging in as another User

        How can a Super Admin login as another user. For example, I have a sales rep that is having issues with their Accounts and I want to view their Zoho Account with out having to do a GTM and sharing screens. Latest Update (27th April 2026): With the early
      • Zoho CRM Layout Rules: Nine New Actions, Profile-Based Execution, and Interactive Preview

        Hello everyone, Availability: This feature is now available for all users. We’re excited to announce powerful new enhancements to Layout Rules in Zoho CRM - a feature built to guide our teams through form-filling by showing the right information to the
      • Lookups and Custom Modules

        I created a Custom Module that I'm calling "Item Purchasing Group". This module will store information for groups of Items that must be purchased together (including minimum overall quantities and/or values, etc.). This will have a one-to-many relationship
      • can't access zoho account

        I can't log in to my zoho account, can you help me
      • Auto sync Photo storage

        Hello I am new to Zoho Workdrive and was wondering if the is a way of automatically syncing photos on my Android phone to my workdrive as want to move away from Google? Thanks
      • Has anyone integrated Zoho with Go High Level (GHL)? Looking for guidance

        Hi everyone, I’m exploring the possibility of integrating Zoho applications with Go High Level (GHL) and wanted to check if anyone in the community has experience with this. Specifically, I’m interested in understanding: Whether a direct integration is
      • Updating Unit Code for New Item Creation, Quote and Invoicing is so inconvenient

        The Zoho Team has implemented many updates, but these updates should be optional. Before rolling out any new feature, they should already have a solution in place that allows users to remove or disable it if they choose not to use it. Just yesterday,
      • Item/service subtotal

        Just discovered & really pleased that we can drag to re-order the line items in Sales orders & Invoices, a very nice feature which doesn't seem to be documented? It would be nice to be able to insert a subtotal as a line item to complete this great feature
      • Set Custom Icon for Custom Modules in new Zoho CRM UI

      • I want to prefill CRM Account information using the GSTIN of the Customer

        Currently i need to add account details manually in zoho crm and when it syncs in zoho books manual working needs to be done. Whereas in zoho books i can prefill the customer details using the GSTIN which is great feature. Can the same be enabled for
      • #5 Is This Actually The Right Tool For Me?

        Day 5: Before Meera brought six months of business history into Zoho Invoice, she stopped and asked herself a very sensible question: Is this actually the right tool for me? It is much easier to ask that now than after moving all your data. The Usual
      • Timesheet entry and comment on the actual timesheet

        Dear madam/sir, It would be really helpful if we could add an option to comment on a specific timesheet entry, after the employee logs a time-log. Would that be possible in the future? Or can you suggest another way to do this?
      • OpenAI Is Moving to the Responses API: Here's What It Means for SalesIQ

        OpenAI has deprecated its Assistants API and is moving to the Responses API. If you're using OpenAI Assistants with SalesIQ, you may be wondering if you need to make any changes to your existing setup. You don't. SalesIQ has already taken care of the
      • Need Native Support for docx files in Zoho Writer

        Absolutely love Zoho Writer, but often need to share files by email with people who are in the Office ecosystem. Downloading a file as docx, then sending it by email, getting the comments back, converting it to Zoho format, editing it, then converting
      • CRM integration issues

        hi Just start testing Campaigns. Read up on up on these issues but can not find an answer. I am super admin. 1) its only showing 1002 contacts, I have a 2500 plan which is confirmed in dashboard. I says it sync'd 1400. I've looked at missing contacts,
      • What's New in Zoho Expense: Integrated Business Travel and AI-Powered Expense Management

        This release brings a wide range of updates across Zoho Expense, including new AI-powered capabilities, enhancements to corporate cards, expense management, audits, and more. Keep reading to know how the new updates can transform your travel and expense
      • ChatGPT Plugin / MCP Server auth error

        Hi all I'm trying to connect the ChatGPT plugin for Zoho CRM but after username stage of the auth process, I get this error from the URL https://mcp.zoho.eu/mcp-client/ {"error_description":"Invalid request url, Request is not as per defined in oauth
      • Project Management Platforms for AI Agents: What Matters Most?

        Zoho Projects is already going beyond basic AI assistance with MCP, AI Bridge, and integrations that let AI models access project data and perform actions. That raises an interesting question: what should a project management platform for AI agents actually
      • Sync workdrive feature inside ZohoCRM

        Hi, I'm exploring the new workdrive/ZohoCRM connector released by Zoho to replace the free extension workdriveforCRM which is decomissioned https://marketplace.zoho.com/app/crm/zoho-workdrive-for-zoho-crm I'm rather upset with this long awaited feature,
      • Adding Custom Status Options in Work Order Action Menu

        Hello FSM Team, We would like to inquire if it is possible to add more custom options in the Work Order action/status dropdown (e.g., Cancel, Terminate, Non-Billable, Void, etc.). Currently, the available options are limited, and we are unable to customize
      • MTA - BAD IP reputation by outlook/hotmail

        Messages to Microsoft email servers are bouncing back due to poor reputation. Message: 4.7.650 The mail server [136.143.188.206] has been temporarily rate limited due to IP reputation. For e-mail delivery information see https://postmaster.live.com (S775)
      • Timesheet Task Icons

        In the image below which shows the task field drop down when creating a timesheet against a project and task. What do the icons mean the the right side column against each task? I can't find any documentation or guide that explains what the no entry sign,
      • Open Records in a New Browser Tab

        Hi FSM Team, Just a suggestion: It would be helpful to have a right-click → Open in New Tab option in FSM, similar to CRM. This should ideally work for any clickable record or module, allowing users to open multiple records in separate tabs without losing
      • Next Page